Deeming Discredited

THE MURDER MYSTERY.
STRANGE THEORY OF DEEMING'S DOCTOR.

THE SINGULAR STORY FROM HALIFAX.

The doctor whom Mr. Lyle, Deeming's solicitor, engaged in connection with the defence, has (says Reuter) withdrawn from the case. He states that he has not taken this step owing to any lack of evidence, but in consequence of what he considers the impossibility of obtaining a fair hearing in a community which is already prejudiced against the accused. He declares that Deeming belongs to the order of instinctive criminals, and is as much wanting in the moral sense as a blind man is in the sense of sight, since killing is as much a part of his nature as eating. His head measurement is 6-1/4, which is exceedingly small in comparison with his height. Deeming's whole character is one of extreme stupidity, and the jokes he makes are coarse and pointless. His escape hitherto, the doctor considers, has been due less to cunning than to accident. Deeming himself is still occupied in replying to the written inquiries of his solicitor. The trial will begin on the 25th inst. It is not considered probable that the application of the defence for an adjournment in order to permit of witnesses being brought from England will be granted.

DEEMING AND THE WHITECHAPEL VICTIMS.

We have some further details in reference to the extraordinary statement which was made yesterday as to Deeming's presumed relations with Catherine Eddowes. The statement came from Halifax (N.S.). A respectable man there has declared (so Reuter says) that in the spring of 1882 he made the acquaintance in Halifax of a man named Jacobs, who professed to be engaged in mining speculations, and spoke of having been in Australia and the Cape Colony. As the acquaintance grew more intimate, Jacobs became confidential, and showed his friend a letter which he had received from Kate Eddowes, whom he described as "a fast woman of London." The letter was for the most part of a friendly character, but it made complaint of the treatment which the writer had received at the hands of Jacobs. (Catherine Eddowes was the name of the woman who was found murdered on September 30, 1888, in Mitre-square, Aldgate). Jacobs also talked freely of a girl named Kelly, whom he boasted of having enticed away from her home in Wales. (Mary Jane Kelly was the name of another of the Whitechapel victims). On being asked what would ultimately become of these unfortunate girls whom he had betrayed, Jacobs said they would all end up Whitechapel way. From one cause and another, particularly in view of the Australian and African travels of this man, it was concluded at first that Jacobs must be no other than Deeming. The informant, however, has been shown the portrait of the latter in one of the London illustrated papers, and he does not recognise a likeness between the prisoner at Melbourne and his acquaintance of former days, Jacob. Moreover, it appears doubtful whether Deeming was in Canada in 1882. Now, Catherine Eddowes, was murdered on September 30th, 1888, and it may be recalled that it was in September, 1889, not 1888, that Deeming returned to England. He left Adelaide in February, 1888, in the Barossa, leaving her at St. Helena, and going to the Cape in the Dunrobin Castle. He arrived in Cape Town about the middle of the year, and worked for a time for a firm of engineers. Subsequently he went to Natal and Kimberley, passing as a gold mine manager, and between April and July, 1889, committed the series of frauds which led to his flight from South Africa.

ENGLISH WARRANT AGAINST DEEMING.

The adjourned application for a warrant for the apprehension of Frederick Bayley Deeming for murder of his wife and four children at Rainhill in July last, was heard at Widnes, this morning. The car-driver, Hackett, whose non-attendance on Monday caused the adjournment, said he did not come because his master told him it was not necessary. The magistrate severely censured Hackett, and told him that but for the Bench's leniency he might have been arrested. After hearing his evidence the warrant for Deeming's arrest was granted. The magistrate, in granting the warrant, observed that the evidence before him certainly gave rise to the strong presumption that Deeming committed the offences with which he is charged.

Source: The Echo, Wednesday April 13, 1892